The Kazakh president has instructed Education and Science Minister Baktyzhan Zhumagulov to improve innovations for the Expo-2017 in Kazakhstan, his press service said on Monday.

"Todaym President Nursultan Nazarbayev has received the minister. The president noted the need to develop innovative technologies relevant to the energy theme at the 2017 event," the statement said.

The meeting addressed the instructions given in accordance with the state education development program. They also touched upon the status and prospects of scientific and educational sectors.

Zhumagulov said education funding has doubled in two years.

The minister added that the number of young people engaged in science has reached 18,000. About 3,000 young scientists came to the sciences only in the last 2.5 years.

Local schools actively learn the experience of Nazarbayev University and Nazarbayev intellectual schools, especially in the implementation of online learning. Optimizing of the number of universities is systematically carried out - today the number has decreased from 149 to 139.

"Reducing the number of higher education institutions should not be a mechanical process. And this should include all the criteria, including the quality of teaching and research activities. Some private schools do not have the necessary facilities, appropriate staff of qualified teachers, and other important conditions for the provision of quality education," Nazarbayev said.

The president said the material base of schools and other educational institutions are fully formed to date. All education projects are fully funded.

After the meeting, the president of Kazakhstan drew attention to the need to strengthen the educational component of students and gave some specific instructions.